dissecting Psalm 107

A while ago I was talking to a friend about how I had no willpower to pursue God, how I hadn’t opened my Bible for real in a long time, and how it was costing me but I didn’t care. and she told me, “open it, at least for two minutes.” So I did, I read a psalm, the next one from when I had been reading the psalms before. It was Psalm 107, and I don’t know why this psalm isn’t talked about more. If you had the patience to read the whole thing when I posted it a few days ago, good for you! —now I’m going to take it apart and share some of my thoughts about it.

first part — the introduction.
the writer is talking about all the people God has redeemed, preparing the reader to learn about the ways God saved them.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

think about that, the righteous are being gathered in from all corners of the earth to tell about what God has done for them! it’s kind of like a conference of testimonies, people gathering from all over to talk about the Lord. I’d like to be part of that.

The psalm continues to talk about four kinds of people.

the first part — the homeless, the longing, the wandering.

Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

they were looking for a place to call home; nothing satisfied them; they always wanted more until the Lord guided them to himself. then they were filled with good things, good things they had never known they wanted. “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” I love that verse.

how are you feeling homeless? be assured the Lord can and will satisfy the desires of your heart in ways you can’t imagine right now!

the second part talks about the rebellious.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

the rebels turned their backs; they decided they wanted nothing to do with God’s counsel and his love — they thought they could do things their own way and be better off. But when he showed them his power and his mercy, they were completely won over. He broke their shackles. once again I’m in love with that last verse — “for he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.”

how are you spurning the Lord? know that he is ready to forgive and rescue you, no matter how far away you feel. He is near.

the third part moves on to the blind, those who had no idea what they were missing.

Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

they were foolish and believed there was more out there than God. they turned away from food and drink, the very things that could save them, and instead came close to death. But God in his mercy reached down and touched them, so they could be whole again, and so they could draw near to him again.

how are you feeling blind? please believe that God can restore your sight and happiness with one touch of his hand!

the fourth, last, part is the fearful, the cowardly, the overwhelmed.

Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of the Lord.
his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

they were doing good things, sailing the seas, but then life became a little scarier and they lost control of themselves. they lost hope, too, and they had no idea what to do — until God stilled the waves and calmed the wind and brought them to where they needed to go.

how are you frightened right now? do you know that God can eclipse those fears with his perfect love and care for you?

See, what’s the same about each of these things is that God redeems his people when they cry to him.

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